1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a print server, a print data transmission method, and a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium encoded with a print data transmission program. More specifically, the present invention relates to a print server that transmits print data to an image forming apparatus, a print data transmission method executed in the print server, and a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium encoded with a print data transmission program.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are known print systems in which print data transmitted from a personal computer (hereinafter referred as a PC) is not immediately printed by an image forming apparatus such as a Multi-Functional Peripheral but temporarily stored into a print server, and at a time when a user log in to the image forming apparatus, the image forming apparatus downloads the print data for printing.
In this print system, print data may be transmitted simultaneously to a plurality of image forming apparatuses from a print server. In this case, the load on the print server increases. The increase of load on the print server may delay transmission of print data to each of the image forming apparatuses and delay the start of printing of the print data in all of the image forming apparatuses.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2006-099714 describes a system including a print management server and a plurality of print servers, in which print data is stored in a distributed manner into the print servers, and the print management server manages the print data stored in a distributed manner in the print servers, whereby load is distributed over the print servers.
In the conventional system, however, a plurality of print servers have to be provided, and, in addition, a print management server for managing the print servers has to be provided. This increases the cost.